Department for Transport

Large Goods Vehicles: Regulation

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the adverse impact of the new road haulage rules.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: To provide immediate relief to the shortage of HGV drivers, we granted a temporary and limited relaxation to the drivers’ hours rules to allow additional flexibility to operators. Any changes to weekly rest patterns that results in reduced rest periods must be compensated for in the normal way. The temporary relaxations of rules are to be used only where necessary, and operators must notify the Department if this measure is used. Driver safety must not be compromised, and drivers should not be expected to drive whilst tired. Employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Official Secrets

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the extra costs in terms of (1) people, and (2) storage, to allow the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to handle Top Secret and Strap material from the agencies on a regular basis, rather than occasionally under the Osmotherly rules.

Lord Callanan: As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not comment on departmental security matters.

English Language: Education

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing toEnglish language tuition businesses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Callanan: The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, including grants, business interruption loans and the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme. English Language Schools were not eligible for the Government’s Restart Grant programme, which was aimed at the non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors. However, the sector is eligible for support via the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). The ARG provides Local Authorities with funding to put in place discretionary support that suits their local area.

Hospitality Industry: Students

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the survey by People 1st InternationalFuture Talent in Hospitality, published in June; and what steps they are taking to assist hospitality students to pursue a career in the industry.

Lord Callanan: The Department regularly meets with representatives from the hospitality sector to discuss how businesses can recover and build back from the pandemic, including raising the profile of skills and careers in hospitality. We welcome insight from a wide range of sources.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia; and whether they used the powers granted by the National Security and Investment Act 2021 in relation to this takeover.

Lord Callanan: The Government has considered this transaction thoroughly. We do not comment on the detail of commercial transactions or of national security assessments. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely and will not hesitate to take action if needed.

Department for Education

Education: Children

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Centre for Social JusticeKids can’t catch up if they don’t show up, published on 27 June, which found that almost 100,000 children did not return to schools full-time when they re-opened in March.

Baroness Berridge: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused particular challenges for children, many of whom have faced significant disruption to their education. In May 2021, the department published pupil absence data from the 2020 autumn term: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england-autumn-term.Good attendance at school is vital for pupils’ education, wellbeing and development. This is why the department’s £3 billion investment in education recovery includes over £900 million that schools can use as they see best to support the children who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the department has worked closely with local authorities and schools to support school attendance, including through providing best practice advice and guidance.

Lifelong Education: Learning Disability

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional measures they intend to take to ensure life-long learning is available for those with severe learning difficulties.

Baroness Berridge: The government believes that students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) must get the support that they need to benefit from the Lifetime Skills Guarantee (LSG).Preparing all young people with SEND for adulthood is a key part of the SEND system and should begin from the earliest point. Colleges have a duty to use their best endeavours to secure the special educational provision that the young person needs, regardless of whether students have an education, health and care plan.We believe that our measures in the Skills for Jobs Bill will support those with SEND. The cross-government SEND review, which is currently underway, will consider how children and young people with SEND can be supported effectively. We will continue to work closely with the SEND sector and system leaders at pace over the coming months, to ensure we are in a strong position to publish proposals for public consultation as soon as possible.The adult education budget supports the delivery of flexible tailored provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3 qualifications. The provision is either fully or co-funded, depending on the learner’s age, prior attainment, and circumstances, and helps learners to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. Under the LSG, the government is now supporting any adult (aged 19 and above) who does not have A levels or equivalent qualifications, to access around 400 fully funded level 3 courses, with free courses for jobs. Complementing this, skills bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. Both offers are funded through the National Skills Fund. We will be launching a consultation on the fund in due course to ensure that we use this investment to help adults, including those with protected characteristics, to gain the valuable skills they need to improve their job prospects.Finally, the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE), will be introduced from 2025, providing individuals with a loan entitlement to the equivalent of four years of post-18 education to use over their lifetime. We believe students with SEND must get the support that they need to benefit from the LLE. The government has not yet determined what form this support will take, and plan to use our consultation this year to build our evidence base on how people with protected characteristics might access or benefit from the LLE offer. We do not want to prejudge the information we receive and outcome of the consultation.

Training: Finance

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure thatindependent training providers have access to funding on an equal basis with other adult skills providers, including colleges.

Baroness Berridge: The government recognises the important role Independent Training Providers (ITPs) play in delivering adult training and skills. After changes in the law brought about by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, it was decided to procure an element of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) openly and competitively, for contracts for services provision. ITPs can submit bids for these contracts in Education and Skills Funding Agency non-devolved areas. In areas where the AEB has been devolved, mayoral combined authorities are now responsible for the provision of AEB-funded adult education for their residents and for deciding which providers to fund.

Training: Standards

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improvecommunication at a (1) local, and (2) national, level about best practices in the delivery of adult skills.

Baroness Berridge: The steps being taken to improve communication at a local and national level about best practices in the delivery of adult skills were outlined in the white paper, Skills for Jobs: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth, published in January 2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-for-jobs-lifelong-learning-for-opportunity-and-growth.We are trailblazing new employer-led Local Skills Improvement Plans in a small number of areas in the 2021-22 financial year. They will be created by employer representative bodies working closely with further education colleges, other providers and key local stakeholders and will set out the key changes needed in a local area to make technical skills training more responsive to employers’ skills needs. Alongside the trailblazers, we are legislating to put Local Skills Improvement Plans on a statutory footing as part of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill.Local Skills Improvement Plans will provide a framework to help colleges and other providers reshape what they offer, to tackle skills mismatches and ensure that they are responding as effectively as possible to labour market skills needs. We will also make development funding available in the 2021-22 financial year in a number of pilot areas to support colleges to reshape their provision to address local priorities that have been agreed with local employers.We will reform our funding and accountability systems to better support providers in their role. To this end, The Skills for Jobs: A New Further Education Funding and Accountability System Government Consultation was published on 15 July 2021: https://consult.education.gov.uk/fe-funding/reforms-to-funding-and-accountability/. This consultation proposes a range of steps to improve communication at local and national level about effective skills delivery:Specifying the outcomes we expect through a new published Performance DashboardIntroducing a new skills measure that will feature in the dashboard and capture how well local and national skills needs are metExploring an enhanced role for Ofsted to inspect how well local and national skills needs are metEnabling the Further Education Commissioner to enhance its existing leadership role, with a renewed focus on driving improvement and championing excellence in colleges

Training

Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the importance of independent training providers in delivering training to meet current and future skills shortages in (1) the North East, and (2) the wider UK economy.

Baroness Berridge: In our Skills for Jobs White Paper, published in January 2021, we recognised the unique knowledge and capacity that independent training providers bring. They are the largest provider type delivering apprenticeships and they contribute substantially to adult education and training. In the academic year 2019 to 2020, enrolments at publicly funded private sector providers were:- 21,700 apprentices and 15,900 adults in the North East- 429,190 apprentices and 175,810 adults in England.This prominence across the market is why we are legislating through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill to place duties on independent training providers, alongside other post-16 providers, to co-operate with employer representative bodies in developing Local Skills Improvement Plans, so they can play their part in responding to the skills gaps that the plans identify.

Education: Males

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to close the learning gap between boys and girls; and in particular, what steps they are taking to address boys’ early years underachievement in language and vocabulary development.

Baroness Berridge: Girls continue to do better than boys in the early years, but boys are improving at a faster rate. In 2013, the gap between girls and boys achieving at least the expected level in all early learning goals at aged 5 was 17.1%; in 2019, (the most recent year for which data is available), the gap was 13.6%. Similarly, the gap between girls and boys achieving a Good Level of Development at aged 5 is persistent but narrowing: from 16% in 2013 to 12.9% by 2019.Since 2018 we have committed more than £85 million on programmes to improve early language and literacy, with a further £153 million recently announced for training early years staff to support the very youngest children as part of the education recovery strategy. This is in addition to £27 million announced to support children’s early language development in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. £10 million will support language development for pre-reception children in the next academic year and £17 million is to deliver the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) in schools that would particularly benefit.NELI is a robustly evidenced programme aimed at the reception aged children needing extra support with their speech and language development and is proven to help children make around three months of additional progress. 40% of primaries have signed up so far, helping 60,000 children this academic year. The NELI screening tool identifies those in most need of help.Furthermore, over 3,000 early adopter schools are implementing the reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) from this September, ahead of statutory roll out in September. One of the main aims of the revised framework is to improve early years outcomes for all children, particularly disadvantaged children in the critical areas that build the foundation for later success, such as language development.As part of the reforms, we have revised the educational programmes to strengthen teaching practice in communication and language, providing a deeper focus on building vocabulary to address the word gap between disadvantaged children and their peers. The new EYFS framework that will be statutory for all early years providers from September 2021 can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974907/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf.

Education: Young People

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of 17 year-olds in each local authority in England; and what proportion of them are studying for (1) academic, and (2) vocational qualifications, at state schools (a) within, and (b) outside, the local authority.

Baroness Berridge: Information is not available for the specific breakdowns requested.There are 2 table attachments for this response. The first table attachment (titled ‘Annex A’), has local authority level data showing the proportion of the population aged 17 in education and training as at March 2020. The proportion of 17 year olds participating will include those studying academic and vocational qualifications, participating on an apprenticeship or in wider training or re-engagement activity that complies with raising the participation age requirements. Activity can take place in schools, general further education colleges, sixth form colleges or private training providers.The second table attachment for this response (titled ‘Annex B’), has local authority level data giving the proportion of children aged 17 in each local authority who attend state schools within and outside the local authority they reside, as at January 2020. HL1709_Annex_A (xls, 121.0KB)HL1709_Annex_B (xls, 62.0KB)

Pupils: Coronavirus

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of media reports that school pupils are using fruit juice to produce fake positive COVID-19 tests.

Baroness Berridge: The department is aware of this. It is imperative that everyone using lateral flow devices uses them in the correct way to ensure that we can control and slow the spread of COVID-19. Any misuse of these tests could have extremely serious consequences, and the government strongly urge people to administer the tests in a responsible way.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Employment

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of employment hubs in prisons.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The MoJ, working with DWP, is committed to improving the employment outcomes of prisoners on release. To enable this, employment hubs have been set up within some prisons to mirror job centres in the community. It is intended that the hubs will help prisoners obtain information and advice for employment related matters before release.HMPPS’ New Futures Network, which acts as a broker for finding job opportunities on release, has worked with a range of partners to establish Employment Hubs – first in six prisons in the North West regions, and gradually in further prisons across the estate.The Hubs will help to better identify and match vacancies to the serving prisoners who are ready to take on employment when they are released. They will do this by advertising job vacancies, improving communications and sharing physical spaces for the various teams and providers to work together.Currently, there are 9 Employment Hubs that are fully operational. A further 19 Hubs are running ‘limited operations’ including HMP Brixton. 23 hubs are not yet operational including HMP Belmarsh, but development work is ongoing. Timescales for delivery are varied.

Treasury

Hospitality Industry and Tourism: VAT

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the cost of reducing Value Added Tax for the hospitality and tourism sector to five per cent.

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, for a permanent cut in Value Added Tax for the hospitality and tourism sector.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: In order to support the cash flow and viability of about 150,000 businesses and to protect over 2.4 million jobs, the Government has applied a temporary reduced rate of VAT (5 per cent) to goods and services supplied by the tourism and hospitality sectors, which will now end on 30 September 2021. On 1 October 2021, a new reduced rate of 12.5 per cent will be introduced for these goods and services to help affected businesses manage the transition back to the standard rate. The new rate will end on 31 March 2022. The reduced rate of VAT has been designed as a temporary measure. As restrictions are lifted and demand for goods and services in the tourism and hospitality sectors increases, this relief will be reduced and eventually removed in order to rebuild and strengthen the public finances. This policy will cost the Exchequer over £7 billion. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no plans to make the reduced rate of VAT permanent.

Customs: Kent

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reduction in the planned size of the Inland Border Facility at the White Cliffs Site, whether they still expect that the North Downs Way will need to be rerouted; and if so, (1) when they expect construction at that site to commence, and (2) why it has not already begun.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government is currently agreeing the final design for the site and assessing any effect this may have on the North Downs Way. It is working closely with Natural England to reach the right decision. The project was paused pending the review of the Dover White Cliffs facility. Following the decision that HMRC will be the sole occupant, they are now finalising their plans including engaging commercial partners. Work on the access road is due to commence shortly.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the total cost to employers of retaining employees who are currently using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme once the scheme ends.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: As of 14 June 2021, there have been 11.6 million unique jobs supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) since its inception. At the end of May, the number of jobs furloughed was as its lowest since the scheme began and has halved in the last 3 months, with 2.4 million jobs furloughed. From July, employers are asked to contribute 10 per cent of wages for hours not worked up to £312.50 per month. This is the same approach the Government introduced successfully last summer, where comparable restrictions were in place. Ending the CJRS at the end of September 2021 strikes the right balance between supporting the economy as it opens up, continuing to provide support and protect incomes, and ensuring incentives are in place to get people back to work as demand returns. The Government has been clear that it will not be possible to preserve every job or business, and it should not stand in the way of the economy adapting, people finding new jobs or starting new businesses. As part of the comprehensive Plan for Jobs, the Government announced the £2 billion Kickstart scheme which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people, and the new three year Restart programme, which will provide support to over one million unemployed Universal Credit claimants across England and Wales and help them find work. If needed, businesses can also benefit from support past the end of September through the Recovery Loan Scheme, which runs until the end of the year and Business Rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure until next April.

Customs: Kent

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the White Cliffs Site for the Inland Border facility is being reduced to 25 per cent of its original size; and what plans they have to sell off the rest of the site.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The original site was intended to be used by both HMRC and Defra. The recent decision, which also took into consideration the concerns of local residents, means that the site will now be an HMRC facility only and therefore smaller than the original plans. Department for Transport, as site owners, are currently evaluating all options before making a decision on the future of the remainder of the land.

Influenza

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact the 2019–20 winter flu season on the UK economy.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HM Treasury, as part of its normal activities, carefully monitors the UK economy, and any risks to it, and remains ready to respond to challenges. Any assessment of economic impacts would form part of a wider central government approach to prepare for adverse events, including the flu season.

Duty Free Allowances

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact on the tourism industry of abolishing the VAT Retail Export Scheme.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: On 11 September 2020, the Government announced the VAT and excise duty treatment of goods purchased by individuals for personal use and carried in their luggage arriving from or going overseas (passengers) following the transition period. The following rules were implemented on 1 January 2021:- Passengers travelling from Great Britain to any destination outside the United Kingdom (UK) can purchase duty-free excise goods once they have passed security controls at ports, airports, and international rail stations.- Personal allowances apply to passengers entering Great Britain from any destination outside of the UK, with alcohol allowances significantly increased.- The VAT Retail Export Scheme (RES) in Great Britain has not been extended to EU residents and has been withdrawn for all passengers.- The concessionary treatment on tax-free sales for non-excise goods has been removed across the UK. The Government published a consultation which ran from 11 March to 20 May 2020. During this time the Government held a number of virtual meetings with industry stakeholders to hear their views and received 73 responses to the consultation. The Government has also met and discussed these changes with many stakeholders following the announcement of these policies. The detailed rationale for these changes was provided in the written ministerial statement and the published summary of responses to the consultation. A detailed technical note has also been made available to stakeholders. On 25 November 2020 the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out their assessment of the fiscal impact of the withdrawal of the VAT RES. Factoring in a higher-than-usual elasticity of 1.9 to account for spending on luxury goods, the OBR estimate that the withdrawal of the VAT RES will result in a significant direct Exchequer saving of around £400 million per year, once passenger numbers recover from the impacts of Covid-19. Based on the 1.2 million users of the scheme who received a refund in 2019, this includes an assumption that approximately 20,000 – 30,000 fewer tourists visit Great Britain a year. That is 0.07% of the 40 million visitors to the UK in 2019. The OBR also looked at this package in the round when assessing the indirect impact on the economy – including the effects of extending duty-free sales – alongside the substantial support provided to the economy and retail industry.

Rules of Origin: EU Countries

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide clarification to small businesses on the rules of origin for duty free trade with the EU.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) ensures there will be zero tariffs or quotas on trade between the UK and the EU, where goods meet the relevant rules of origin. Rules of origin are a standard feature in all free trade agreements and the Government worked closely with industry throughout negotiations with the EU to ensure that the vast majority of trade will benefit from zero tariffs. Overall, businesses have been adjusting well to the new rules and continue to trade effectively. The Government appreciates that increasing business understanding of the rules is a key factor in facilitating tariff-free trade. Accordingly, to support all businesses, the Government has published extensive guidance on the rules of origin requirements under the TCA, and is regularly updating GOV.UK based on industry feedback. The Government continues to engage extensively with industry stakeholders and business organisations across all sectors to provide general support, raise awareness of the rules and help identify and resolve various sector specific issues. Furthermore, to simplify the adherence process for traders, the Government has temporarily suspended some rules of origin requirements in 2021. We have agreed with the EU that until 31 December 2021, for both goods imported from the EU to the UK and vice versa, traders do not need supplier declarations from business suppliers to be in place at the time the goods are exported. These easements give businesses extra time to make the necessary adjustments to evidence their claims for preference. The TCA also establishes a Specialised Committee on Customs and Rules of Origin, through which we can work with the EU to resolve implementation issues. UK officials are currently working closely with their EU counterparts to ensure the TCA is implemented in full, including that duties are not applied to goods that meet the rules of origin requirements in the TCA. The Government also supported small businesses through the £20m SME Brexit Fund. The fund was announced on 11 February this year, to give small and medium businesses who trade only with the EU up to £2,000 towards training and/or professional advice to help them adapt. It was well publicised that applications to the scheme would close on 30 June. The SME fund was just one form of support; HMRC’s Customs Grant Scheme paid out over £69 million. But these schemes are finite. HMRC continues to support businesses through regular engagement, and the Government will continue to monitor the impacts of rules of origin and review the support available to businesses.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

China: Overseas Aid

Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government what aid and development programmes they have funded in China since 2016.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Details of UK bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) to China between 2009 to 2019 can be found in table A4b of the Statistics on International Development (SID), published on the gov.uk website at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920048/Table-A4b.ods. Please note in line with SID revision policy there has been a minor revision to the 2019 SID dataset. A data processing error in reporting meant that the published 2019 figure of UK ODA spend in China was £500,000 lower than the actual spend [as the Grant in Aid ODA for the Great Britain-China Centre (GBCC) was mistakenly attributed to 'developing countries unspecified']Further details on the programmes that underpin the figures in table A4b, including project titles and descriptions, can be found in the ODA activity level datasets published on gov.uk: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/921034/Data_Underlying_SID_2019.ods (for 2017-2019) and https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/695435/data-underlying-the-sid2017-revision-March.ods (for 2009 - 2016).Her Majesty's Government's final 2020 ODA spend, including country data, will be published in the 'Statistics on International Development: Final UK Aid Spend' in autumn 2021.

Greece and Middle East: Migrant Camps

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to assist the closure of refugee camps in (1) Syria, and (2) nearby countries; and what plans they have to help resettle refugees currntly in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's policy is that refugee returns must be voluntary, safe and dignified. Whilst we hope that Syrian refugees will, ultimately, be able to return home, we agree with the UN judgement that conditions in Syria do not currently allow this. Understandably, the key concern of the majority of Syrian refugees when considering returning home is personal safety and safety of their families. In the meantime, the UK has spent at least £1.99 billion since 2012 to support 5.5 million refugees in the region, as well as host communities in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

Developing Countries: Coronavirus

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the estimates that less than one per cent of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to low-income countries (2) the reports of increasing COVID-19 (a) infection rates, and (b) fatalities, in parts of (i) South Asia, (ii) South East Asia, and (iii) Africa, and (3) the need to balance sending vaccines to these regions against the decision to provide a third vaccination for 32 million people in the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has played a leading role in supporting global access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines from the outset of the pandemic, and stands alongside its international friends and partners during this deeply challenging time to tackle COVID-19 infections and fatalities. The UK is among the largest donors to COVAX, which has so far shipped over 95 million COVID-19 vaccines to 134 participants, and aims to provide doses equivalent to up to 30% of the population in low- and middle-income countries by early 2022, including countries in South Asia, South East Asia, and Africa. The UK's investment in the research and development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has also been a key contribution to the global vaccination effort. So far, over 500 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed worldwide at non-profit prices, with two-thirds going to lower- and middle-income countries.Making vaccines globally available not only helps end the coronavirus pandemic in developing countries, but will also reduce the threat posed by vaccine-resistant variants emerging in areas with large-scale outbreaks that could threaten the UK. The health of the UK public remains our priority, but this virus will not truly be beaten until it is defeated everywhere. The UK is proud that our G7 Presidency secured agreement from leaders to support vaccinating the world in 2022, and to share and finance an additional 1 billion doses over the next year to accelerate vaccine roll-out. This includes a commitment from the UK to share 100 million doses, 80% of which will go to COVAX to support countries in need. We will also work closely with G7 and international partners to mobilise international financing; increase vaccine supply; and support in-country delivery, including community mobilisation, and work to build vaccine confidence.

Nnamdi Kanu

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the alleged role of the government of Kenya in the detention and alleged mistreatment of Nigerian activist Nnamadi Kanu, (2) the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr Kanu to Nigeria against his will, and (3) of any assistance being provided to him by the High Commission in Abuja.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are seeking clarification from the Nigerian Government about the circumstances of the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu. The UK has requested consular access to Mr Kanu from the Nigerian Government, and we stand ready to provide consular assistance.

Lebanon: Overseas Aid

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to arrange (1) bilateral, and (2) multilateral, economic aid for Lebanon to support the Syrian refugees currently living in Lebanon.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Since 2011, the UK has allocated over £700 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon, as well as funding for Syrian refugees there. The UK has spent £1.92 billion since 2012 to specifically support the over 5.5 million Syrian refugees in the region, including those in Lebanon. Our humanitarian assistance in Lebanon will continue to promote access to education and provide those most in need with timely, flexible assistance and protection services to cover their basic survival needs and reduce gender-based violence, saving lives and reducing suffering.

Nizar Banat

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future of the Palestinian Authority, following the death of political activist Nizar Banat in police custody.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 25 June Middle East Minister James Cleverly publicly expressed his sadness to hear of the death of activist and human rights defender Nizar Banat while in Palestinian police custody. Our thoughts are with his family. The Palestinian Authority investigation must be swift and transparent. We continue to have a regular dialogue with the Palestinian Authority, where we urge the them to respect human rights and to improve the performance of the security sector.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel,in response to the findings by a UN Working Group on 7 June that three Palestinian students from Birzeit University have been held in arbitrary detention.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the findings by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, published 7 June, on Israel's continued detention of Layan Kayed, Elyaa Abu Hijla and Ruba Asi. The UK remains concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention. According to international law, administrative detention should be used only when security makes it absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law and either charge or release detainees.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of authorities in Israel carrying out extra-judicial killings of Palestinians.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We remain concerned by the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank and Gaza. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Human Rights: Females

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, what steps they are taking to develop a more strategic approach to partnering with and supporting human rights defenders globally; and, in particular, women human rights defenders.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly supports Human Rights Defenders worldwide to enable them to carry out their work safely and without fear. We are concerned about eroding respect for human rights, including targeted discrimination of women and activists and Women Human Rights Defenders online and offline. In 2019 I, as the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, launched the document 'UK support for Human Rights Defenders' which was drawn up with significant and important input from relevant stakeholders, including Amnesty International, and which sets out how the UK Government engages with Human Rights Defenders to advance the human rights agenda globally.Furthermore, the UK National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security sets out how the UK will work on tackling the obstacles to women's leadership and meaningful political participation such as lack of an enabling environment for women's rights organisations and women human rights defenders. Following the publication of the Integrated Review, the UK remains strongly committed to this agenda and will continue to support and work in partnership with Human Rights Defenders to promote open societies. The Review also commits the UK to work with women's rights organisations to tackle the discrimination, violence and inequality that hold women back. We will reflect these commitments in the various strands of strategic planning which will flow from the Integrated Review. The FCDO also monitors repression of HRDs in its annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, the most recent of which was published earlier this month. That report paid tribute to the courageous work of HRDs and listed support for them as a UK international policy priority.

Third Sector: Public Consultation

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to consult with civil society on the development of their plans for supporting, at an international level, (1) open societies, (2) media freedom, (3) anti-corruption efforts, (4) human rights and the rule of law.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO values civil society organisations (CSOs) as important policy and delivery partners at the forefront of delivering UK objectives. We have an ongoing policy dialogue with CSOs on open societies, and are committed to working in partnership with a diverse range of organisations across the whole of the UK and southern-based CSOs, both large and small. Civil Society plays a critical role in defending media freedom. In addition to regular consultations with CSOs, for example around the G7, we work closely with the 17 CSOs in the Consultative Network of the Media Freedom Coalition.On anti-corruption issues we regularly engage with CSOs, for example holding civil society roundtables on our new anti-corruption sanctions regime and participating with colleagues from the Joint Anti-Corruption Unit in regular engagement with the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition. Ministers meet regularly with the Advisory Group on Human Rights, a group of 14 experts including civil society representatives. Open Societies were discussed at the most recent meeting. CSOs are also strongly represented in the UK war crimes network. Modern slavery is another important part of our human rights work. We are supporting the Home Office to review the government's modern slavery strategy and will engage external partners, including CSOs.

Nauru: Deep Sea Mining

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the International Seabed Authority about the environmental implications of proposals for deep sea mining off Nauru.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Nauru has notified the International Seabed Authority of its intention to apply for approval of a plan of work for deep sea mining exploitation under the terms of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The UK recognises the growing pressure to extract deep sea resources, and is deeply concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment. We therefore continue to press for the very highest environmental standards to be agreed and activated by the International Seabed Authority. Until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impacts on deep sea ecosystems and strong and enforceable environmental regulations in place, the UK has committed not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects.

Stan Swamy

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India about the imprisoned human rights activist Stan Swamy prior to his death on 5 July; whether they made representations about his campaign on behalf of Dalits and Adivasis; and if so, what response they received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I was greatly saddened to learn of Father Swamy's passing on July 5, aged 84. I raised Father Swamy's case with India's Foreign Secretary, Harsh Shringla, and India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kishan Reddy, on 15 March while in India. Most recently, I discussed Father Swamy's case with the Indian High Commissioner on 8 June.We engage with India on a range of human rights matters and oppose discrimination against minorities because of religion, caste, or belief. The British High Commission in New Delhi and Deputy High Commission in Mumbai had been monitoring Father Swamy's case closely and will continue to monitor progress on the rights of Dalits and indigenous people in India.The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India regularly meet representatives from minority communities and run projects promoting minority rights. Our project work has provided legal training for 2,000 Dalit women to combat violence against them. We also helped establish the first network of Dalit Women Human Rights Defenders who are trained as paralegals in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Furthermore, we engaged 365 state criminal justice system officials in case issues, training programmes, legal roundtables, and awareness raising programmes.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proportion of theirfinancial aid tothe Palestinian Authority which is spent on that Authority's security forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has not provided financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority National Security Forces. UK financial assistance has helped to deliver essential health and education services in the West Bank. The UK provides technical assistance to support the development of capable, accountable, sustainable, and inclusive Palestinian security forces.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Staff

Lord Tyrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff working at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office at C5 level or above and working from the office on King Charles Street speak fluent Russian.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Language skills are critical to the FCDO's operation and Russian, as one of the FCDO's five top priority languages, is no exception to this. FCDO officers undertake full-time language training in preparation for roles overseas which require them to speak the local language (known as speaker slots). Although there are no formal 'speaker slot' roles based in King Charles Street, some roles in London (such as Research Analysts) will draw on language skills in their day to day work and officers returning from speaker slots are incentivised to maintain their language skills and 're-qualify' once their FCDO exam pass has expired (after 5 years).

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they withdrew funding from the Yemen Multisector Humanitarian Response Programme.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Yemen Multisector Humanitarian Response Programme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Yemen Multisector Humanitarian Response Programme (MHRP) aims to reduce the risk of famine and malnutrition in areas of extreme food insecurity. Originally scheduled to end in April 2020, FCDO Ministers approved an extension to September 2021.The most recent published assessment of the Yemen Multisector Humanitarian Response Programme was undertaken in August 2020 and can be accessed on Development Tracker. A project completion report for the MHRP extension period is expected to be completed by December 2021 and will be subsequently published.

British Overseas Territories: EU Grants and Loans

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the UK's withdrawal from the EU, whether the Overseas Territories can still apply for grants from the InvestEU Fund.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has not entered into an agreement covering the participation of the UK or the British Overseas Territories in InvestEU, which launched in 2021 and is supported by the EU's budget. We remain unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding the Overseas Territories' interests and we are providing support to the Overseas Territories, following the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Philippines: Offences against Children

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to discuss withthe government of the Philippines the reported failures of internet service providers in that country tocomply with anti-child pornography legislation RA 9775; and if not, why not.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to work with international partners to improve the capability of the Philippine authorities to fight online sexual exploitation of children. This includes National Crime Agency (NCA) work with the Philippines authorities to feed in potential changes in procedures, structures and legislation that will assist in the investigation and prosecution of offences.The UK supports the introduction of legislation by countries around the world to combat online sexual exploitation of children. The Philippines' Senate has recently passed a bill on Special Protections against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children. The bill, which now passes to the Philippines House of Representatives, expands the scope of the Anti-Child Pornography Act from 2009 and addresses the duty and legal requirements of Internet Service Providers in the Philippines.

Ministry of Defence

Type 26 Frigates: Procurement

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to ring fence money for the next five Type 26 frigates in the forthcoming spending review.

Baroness Goldie: Resources have been allocated by the Ministry of Defence to build and support the next five Type 26 Frigates. Funding lines are continually reviewed as part of routine programme management to ensure value for money is maximised for the taxpayer, drive the schedule and manage risk and opportunity.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Forests and Peat Bogs: Conservation

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all (1) removal of forest and woodland cover, and (2) peat extraction, is balanced by new or replacement planting.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The recently published England Trees Action Plan and England Peat Action Plan set out our ambitions to massively increase woodland creation, peatland restoration, and their protection and management in support of Net Zero commitments and nature recovery. This is being kickstarted using the £640m Nature for Climate Fund.The Government has a general policy against permanent loss of woodland and tree cover, and the management and felling of trees is managed through the felling licence regime. We have developed the National Framework of Green Infrastructure Standards to help local authorities, developers and communities improve greening provisions in their areas.The Government open habitat policy helps balancing conversion of woodland to open habitat and protection of existing woodland, to generate landscapes that provide benefits for people and wildlife for the 21st century.There are an estimated 24 extraction licences currently in operation in England and each extraction permission already contains a condition requiring the restoration of the site at the conclusion of the permission to ensure a return over time to as near a natural state as possible. We have taken action to tackle domestic extraction of peat which includes the National Planning Policy Framework, first published in 2012. This ends the granting of licences for peat extraction on new sites or extensions to existing sites and peat extraction in England will therefore end when those remaining licenses expire. Peatland restoration has already begun on some sites.

Fishing Vessels

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Benyon on 1 July (HL1216), what is the breakdown by type and ownership of the "15 vessels from the Royal Navy Overseas Patrol Squadron and Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities".

Lord Benyon: The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) can call upon the Royal Navy Overseas Patrol Squadron who have three batch 1 Patrol Vessels (HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey) available for fishery protection duties. In addition, patrol vessels under the Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) provide coverage around England’s coast. The IFCAs operate a range of craft which the MMO can call upon to assist with fulfilling its at-sea duties of: boarding vessels and inspections, intelligence gathering and the issuing of directions to vessels. The vessels range from small Rigid Inflatable type boats suitable for estuarine and close inshore through to more substantial craft more able to work ‘near’ offshore waters. The table details the IFCA vessels currently able to be called upon. IFCAVessel NameLocationType of VesselNorth WesternNorth West ProtectorWhitehavenFPVNorth WesternProtector CharliesWhitehavenRIBNorth WesternProtector BravoWhitehavenRIBNorth WesternBay ProtectorLiverpoolRIBNorth WesternProtector GammaBarrowRIBNorth WesternZodiac BravoCarnforthRIBNorthumberlandSt AidanNorth ShieldsFPVNorthumberlandRobert Arckless MBEAmbleRIBNorth EasternNE Guardian IIIWhitbyFPVNorth EasternBravo 1WhitbyRIBNorth EasternProtector IIIWhitbyRIBEasternSebastian TerelinckSutton BridgeFPVEasternThree CountiesSutton BridgeSurvey VesselEasternJohn AllenWisbechFPVEasternSea SprayLevingtonRIBKent and EssexNerrisaRamsgateFPVKent and EssexTamesisBrightlingseaFPVKent and EssexFPV VigilantBrightlingseaRIBSussexWatchfulShorehamFPVSussexMerlinShorehamRIBSouthernStella BarberaSouthamptonRIBSouthernProtectorPortlandRIBSouthernEndeavourPooleRIBDevon and SevernDavid RoweBrixhamRIBDevon and SevernEnforcerBrixhamRIBCornwallSt PiranNewlynFPVCornwallLyonesseNewlynRIBCornwallAvalonNewlynRIBCornwallTiger LilyNewlynSurvey VesselIsles of ScillyVigilantSt Mary’s BayRIB

Environment Protection

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government which areas will (1) be designated national parks, (2) be designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, or (3) otherwise protected from development, by 2030.

Lord Benyon: Natural England, as the statutory advisor to the Government on landscape, announced on 24 June 2021 an ambitious programme to create and improve protected landscapes. As part of this programme Natural England has with immediate effect started work to consider the creation of two new Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), the Yorkshire Wolds and the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge; and expansions of both the Surrey Hills and Chilterns AONBs. The Government has committed to protect and improve 30% of UK’s land for biodiversity by 2030. To meet this commitment, Natural England will also undertake an all-England landscapes assessment to identify any remaining places suitable for National Park or AONB designation. We have announced our intention to publish a Green Paper on nature recovery, including wildlife reform, before the end of the year. This consultation will provide the opportunity to influence how we can improve our wildlife laws to deliver our ambitions for nature recovery, including improving sites and habitat protections, aligning these with the Government’s strategic priorities for nature and biodiversity.

Home Office

Gangs: Young People

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of fatherlessness on young men who are members of gangs.

Lord Greenhalgh: We recognise the impact that family structure can have on children and young people, with research showing that a lack of support from parents can be a risk factor related to involvement in serious violence. This is why we are committed to investing in programmes of work focussed on early intervention and targeted towards young people at risk.In March of this year, the Home Office announced its £130.5 million investment in tackling serious violent crime, with £23 million being invested in new early intervention programmes to help stop young people being drawn into violence. This includes programmes which use significant moments in a young person’s life, such as when they enter police custody or Accident and Emergency, as opportunities for trained professionals to engage and divert young people away from crime and violence.Over the three years from 2018-2021, we have also invested a total of £105.5 million, in multi-agency Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in the 18 areas most affected by serious violence, bringing together local partners to deliver an effective, joined up approach to tackling violent crime and its drivers.We have also made clear that the Government is determined to crack down on the county line gangs, by funding specialist support for those affected by county lines exploitation, providing one-to-one support to under 25s and their families in the three largest county lines exporting force areas (London, West Midlands and Merseyside) to help them safely reduce and end their involvement.In addition, we are funding Missing People’s SafeCall service which provides confidential, specialist advice and support to young people and their families/carers who are affected by county lines exploitation.

Visas: Boarding Schools

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether students from the EU are required to apply for visas in order to enrol in boarding schools in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Since freedom of movement ended on 31 December 2020, EEA nationals travelling to the UK for the first time to enrol on a course of 6 months or longer at an independent school in the UK, including those with boarding facilities in Northern Ireland, are required to apply for a visa under the Student or Child Student routes.Irish citizens in the UK have the right to reside, work, study, and access healthcare, social security and public services without requiring permission.

Visas: Boarding Schools

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether international boarding school students wishing to study in the UK are required (1) to apply for visas to enrol in a school that is classed as a Highly Trusted Sponsor, and (2) to provide a birth certificate translated into English; if so, what is their estimate of the additional cost for each applicant to provide this information; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which this may act as a deterrent for international students.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK welcomes international students and places no limit on the number of international students who can study in the UK.Our offer to students is competitive internationally and as part of the launch of the Student & Child Student route we have simplified and streamlined the route to make it simpler for students to meet the requirements.To be able to study in the UK, international students must receive an unconditional offer of a place on a course of study from a licenced Student sponsor listed on the published register of Student sponsors.A key safeguarding requirement for unaccompanied minors travelling to the UK is for Child Students, and Students under the age of 18, to provide proof of relationship (such as a birth certificate) and consent from their parent or legal guardian for their living and care arrangements during their study in the UK. Proof of relationship is also required where the student is relying on funds held in their parent’s name, to establish the parent has consented to their use.All documents submitted with an application for permission on the Student or Child Student routes must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation of the document. The cost of translation may differ dependent on the certified translator used and the document being translated.An impact assessment on the new points-based Student and Child Student routes was published and can be found alongside the Statement of Changes laid in Parliament on 10 September 2020.

UK Border Force: Patrol Craft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many vessels by type are operated by UK Border Force.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Border Force Maritime Command’s fleet includes five cutters and six coastal patrol vessels as well as niche capability in the form of tactical watercraft (TWC) and dedicated mobile RHIB capability. Each cutter carries a jet driven RHIB capable of delivering a boarding team. The type of asset deployed will reflect the operational task and may be deployed as a standalone asset or as a combination, to allow for a broad range of tactical options, that can respond to a specific threat or event.Border Force Vessels undertake strategic patrols, tactical surveillance and enforcement activity in support of Border Force and other government agencies providing a law enforcement capability at sea.As a minimum a Cutter and two CPVs will be permanently deployed to the south east to the 30-mile stretch of coast covering the Dover Straits with additional vessels deployed as operationally required.

Department for International Trade

Tradeshow Access Programme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to replace the Tradeshow Access ProgrammeScheme in order (1) to enable Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to compete on a level playing field against international competitors, and (2) to retain the UK's status as a global maritime leader.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government is working on future arrangements for supporting British businesses to benefit from key tradeshows. We are confident these arrangements will continue to help British businesses, including those based in the Maritime sector, to realise their export potential by providing support, education and export skills which will deliver long-term tangible benefits to the internationalisation of their business.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Cybercrime

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people in the UK who were (1) successfully, and (2) unsuccessfully, phished in the last period for which records are available.

Baroness Barran: 39% of all UK businesses identified at least one cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. Among these firms, the most common type of breach is related to phishing attacks (reported by around four-fifths of businesses (83%) which were attacked (CSBS 2021). This figure has risen from 72% in 2017 to 83% now. The Home Office is responsible for policy on cyber crime and fraud/scams.

Cultural Heritage: Protection

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement of £60 million funding to support 20 museums of which 16 are based in London, what assessment they have made of the need to protect national heritage outside of London.

Baroness Barran: Regional sites will benefit considerably from this £60 million investment in our national cultural infrastructure, irrespective of where their headquarters happen to be located. Of the 100 projects this Fund will support, over a third are based wholly outside London and the South East. For historic reasons there is a cluster of older, more expansive estates in London that require particular care and attention, but this is not at the expense of other regions, with projects funded across the North West, South West, North East, Yorkshire, and others. In fact, every single one of the multi-site organisations has received funding for one or more of its regional sites. Regional organisations have been further boosted by our Museums Estates and Development Fund (MEND) worth over £18 million, available exclusively to non-national accredited museums for maintenance projects. Throughout the pandemic, this Government has supported locally-accessible culture and heritage across the entire nation, with 70 per cent of awards from our £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund to date going to save thousands of organisations outside of London.

Musicians: EU Countries

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Digital and Culture on 29 June (21802) that "some touring activities are possible without needing visas or work permits in at least 17 out of 25 Member States", what assessment they have made of the varying time limits placed on such activities.

Baroness Barran: We have always acknowledged that the end of freedom of movement would have consequences for touring musicians and performers. Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in the EU, and we have spoken to every Member State. We have established some touring activities are possible in at least 18 out of 27 Member States without needing visas or work permits. This includes France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and many more. The length of tour permitted without a visa or permit varies across Member States. For many Member States it is for up to 90 days, which will capture the vast majority of tours. We are continuing to speak to each Member State to encourage them to ensure their rules and guidance are clear and accessible. And we are now engaging with those Member States that do not have any visa or permit free touring to encourage them to adopt a more flexible approach in line with the UK’s own rules, which allow creative professionals to tour easily here.

Multinational Companies: Technology

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce tax penalties against tech companies that are slow to remove harmful content.

Baroness Barran: Where tech companies fail to fulfil their new duty of care, the Online Safety Bill provides a suite of enforcement powers for the regulator, Ofcom. Ofcom’s powers will include fines for companies of up to £18m or 10% of qualifying annual global turnover (whichever is higher), and business disruption measures (including applying to court to block access to services that cause serious harm).

Telecommunications: Australia and Canada

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) Australian, and (2) Canadian, subsea cable maintenance regimes.

Baroness Barran: The Government maintains an interest in subsea cable operating regimes to inform our national arrangements.By their nature, subsea telecommunications cables are international, and the UK engages with international partners on a range of issues pertaining to cables, including environmental, fishing, trade and regulatory aspects.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 13 February 2020 (HL 605), what legislation is now in force toensure mobile phone operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad; what are those limits, and what powers they have if any UK mobile provider gives notice to its customers that it intends to levy excess charges.

Baroness Barran: The Mobile Roaming (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 is the legislation in force to ensure mobile operators apply a financial limit on mobile data usage while users are abroad. The limit on data usage abroad is £45, which means a consumer cannot spend more than £45 unless they actively consent to continue spending over this cap. The communications regulator Ofcom has powers to set out the instances where UK mobile providers are required to give notice of price changes. Ofcom’s General Conditions set out that providers should give notice not shorter than one month of any modifications likely to be of material detriment and allow its customers to withdraw from their contracts without penalty upon such notice.

Semiconductor Devices: China

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dependence of UK manufacturers on China for imports of (1) semiconductors, and (2) semiconductor devices; and what assessment they have made of links between Chinese-owned technology firms operating in the UK and China’s Military-Civil Fusion Strategy.

Baroness Barran: HMG recognises the importance of semiconductor technology to key UK industries, and the wider digital ecosystem. Supply chains for semiconductors are incredibly complex, spanning a large number of countries. China has a limited share of the global semiconductor export market, and is the world’s largest importer of semiconductors. The UK Government has outlined its concerns that advanced dual-use technology and knowledge may be diverted to assist Chinese military programmes. As an open economy, we welcome foreign trade and investment, including from China, where it supports UK growth and jobs. HMG will not accept investments which compromise our national security, and all investment must meet stringent legal and regulatory requirements to protect the UK’s national interest. The National Security and Investment Act 2021, due to come into force later this year, will modernise and strengthen our national security investment screening powers.

Technology: China

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the government of China’s plans to become a world leader in future technologies on the resilience of the UK's supply chains.

Baroness Barran: The Integrated Review reflects that we need to adapt to a more competitive world. We are implementing a robust framework for our relationship with China which allows us to manage disagreements, defend our values while preserving space to tackle transnational challenges such as climate change. Our approach will remain consistent even if difficulties emerge."The Integrated Review articulates the UK’s goal to extend the impact and influence of the UK’s ‘Science and Technology Power’ by 2030, and the need to secure and develop critical and emerging technologies where there is a realistic prospect of delivering strategic advantage. A new ‘own-collaborate-access’ framework, will guide our approach:Own: where the UK plays a leading and owning role, end-to-end from discovery to commercialisation. This will always involve elements of collaboration and access.Collaborate: where the UK is not able to establish a dominant position, but can provide unique contributions that allow us to collaborate with others to achieve our goals.Access: where the UK will seek to acquire critical science and technology from others, through options, deals and relationships.To this end the Prime Minister has recently announced he will chair a new National Science and Technology Council, and the creation of a National Technology Advisor role, initially held by Sir Patrick Vallance to support the new committee and provide leadership.

Football: Safety

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the safety and security of spectators at future major football events.

Baroness Barran: The safety of all those who attend sporting fixtures is a priority for the government. We fund the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) whose purpose is to ensure sports grounds are safe for everyone. While it is the responsibility of individual clubs and venue owners to take the necessary steps to put in place reasonable protection for spectators at events, the SGSA provides support to minimise risk and help deliver safe events. It does this by setting high standards for safety in its internationally-renowned Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, and through its expert team of inspectors who provide first-rate advice across all areas of sports grounds safety to individual clubs and grounds. Additionally, the SGSA enforces the Government’s all-seater policy by issuing annual licenses to all grounds of clubs in the Premier League and Football League along with Wembley and the Principality Stadium. Under the Football Spectators Act 1989, the clubs of these grounds are unable to admit spectators without a licence issued by the SGSA. Following incidents of public disorder at the UEFA EURO 2020 finals held at Wembley on 11 July, all key local partners and expert bodies, including the FA, UEFA, City Hall, the Metropolitan police, local authority and SGSA are investigating the events that took place in and around the stadium to ensure that robust plans are in place to prevent a recurrence.

Cybercrime

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many reports were made to report@phishing.gov.uk for the last period for which records are available.

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the last period for which records are available, how many separate incidents the reports made to report@phishing.gov.uk referred to.

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the last period for which records are available, what proportion of phishing incidents reported to report@phishing.gov.uk resulted in (1) an email address being successfully blocked, (2) links to malicious websites being removed, or (3) both.

Baroness Barran: Since launch in April 2020 the number of reports received by the NCSC’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERs) stands at more than 6,500,000 with the removal of more than 50,500 scams and 97,500 web addresses (URLs). In June there were up to 7000 individual URLs first identified by SERs submissions which were taken down.Reporting figures are updated monthly on the NCSC website alongside information on SERS and protection against phishing can be found at Phishing: how to report to the NCSC

Choirs: Coronavirus

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether amateur choirs will be treated in the same way as professional choirs in the event of renewed restrictions on singing due to COVID-19.

Baroness Barran: The government’s Roadmap set out four steps out of lockdown in England.As of today, there are no limits on the number of people who can sing indoors or outdoors. This includes amateur and professional choirs, and congregational singing.From Step 4, The government has removed outstanding legal restrictions on social contact and life events, and opened the remaining closed settings.The Events and Attractions guidance sets out how those organising events can operate at step 4, including in the Performing Arts. The guidance will apply to workplaces and therefore is intended for those who are undertaking activities as part of their work, or who organise events in those venues. Organisers will need to assess whether this guidance is relevant when they plan activities that also involve amateur groups.

Women and Equalities

Equality

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Government departments treat any of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, excluding disability, as taking precedence over any other.

Baroness Berridge: The Equality Act 2010 does not recognise any precedence of rights beyond the special circumstances of disability. However, in situations where there are multiple protected characteristics to be considered, Government Departments, like other employers or service providers, need to take decisions based on the facts.Where the relevant conditions apply, Departments may also choose to take targeted action to advance the interests of and/or meet the specific needs of groups with a particular protected characteristic in accordance with the positive action provisions in the Act.